"Because Les (Kiss) has been brought in on big money, with a good pedigree, working with Joe (Schmidt), everybody is expecting miracles.

"When Shane Logan comes out with those statements, year in, year out, that's adding more pressure on Les Kiss's shoulders.

"And then when Jono Gibbes comes in, who's got an unbelievable pedigree and he's not really performing either...the pack go to Connacht and get absolutely demolished, Jono Gibbes isn't even there, he's back in New Zealand eating his Christmas dinner.

"That doesn't sit well with me. Everything just seems to be all over the place."

Ferris claims that it may be more down to Ulster not making the European quarter-finals than to an injury that prevented Stephen Donald's move on Monday.

What he wants now is for Johnny McPhillips get a proper run in the no 10 shirt - and for other young local prospects to get their chance.

Stephen Ferris (centre) at the launch of Outdoor Revolution, Ireland’s largest outdoor sports, health and wellness event taking place 24th and 25th March in the RDS, Dublin

He points out that in Ulster's fortuitous win over Munster after Christmas, only one Ulster-born player was present in the starting line-up from one to 10.

"It just doesn't look as if the Ulster team environment is a really happy place. It all seems to have got away," Ferris lamented.

"Are one of those (foreign) players better than the young Academy player lining out for Dungannon or Ballymena every week?

"You walk into the Kingspan Stadium and people are starting to talk about watching South Africa's B team instead of watching an Ulster team.

"It doesn't feel like everybody is buying into what Ulster Rugby has always been about."